FIFA president praises Qatar for efforts to address human rights issues

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has praised Qatar for the efforts it has made to improve human rights in the build up to the 2022 World Cup finals.

Making his closing comments at FIFA's 72nd Congress in Doha on Thursday, Infantino told members: "From the very beginning we have pushed, of course, the authorities in Qatar, and we have found in them a partner who was engaged in doing what was necessary to have the changes on the human rights issues enacted and implemented in this country."

Infantino also announced his intention to stand for reelection as FIFA president at next year's congress.

"The World Cup will start on the 21st of November and will end on the 18th of December 2022.

"It will be a great celebration, a great celebration of humanity, bringing the world together, an opportunity for the Arab world to present itself to the entire world, and an opportunity for the entire world to come and meet the Arab world, its culture, its history, and to celebrate all together."

On the changes to human rights laws in Qatar in the build up to the World Cup, he added, "It has to be recognised that six years later, the work that has been done is exemplary. The work that in other countries that has taken decades has been done in a few years.